Abrading machine and drive therefor



July 24, 1962 c. 'r. ASBURY ABRADING MACHINE AND DRIVE THEREFOR 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 21, 1958 'INVENTOR. Z 4550?! 'ATTOPA/[FJ July24, 1962 c. T. ASBURY ABRADING MACHINE AND DRIVE THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Filed Aug. 21, 1958 RV. mw 2 WNW r m J M m M (w United States Patent3,645,992 ABRADING MACHINE AND DRIVE THEREFOR Charles T. Asbury, 717Isle of Palms, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Filed Aug. 21, 1958, Ser. No.756,324 3 Ciaims. ((31. 262-20) This invention relates to cutting andabrading devices including the cutting elements associated with thedevices and the mechanism by which the cutting elements are supportedand driven to carry out a cutting or abrading operation.

In my issued Patents Nos. 2,740,980 issued April 10, 1956, for:Apparatus for Cutting and Abrading; 2,756,659 issued August 7, 1956,for: Device for Cutting Stone and Concrete; and 2,763,257 issued September 18, 1956, for Apparatus for Cutting Stone and my pending patentapplications Serial Nos. 537,922 filed October 3, 1955, now Patent No.2,85 1,028, issued September 9, 1958, for Loop Tension Cutter; 584,673filed May 14, 1956, now abandoned for Method and Apparatus for TreatingSurfaces; 625,791, filed December 3, 1956, now Patent No. 2,850,862,issued September 9, 1958, for Cutting Devices; 682,682, filed September9, 1957, now abandoned, for Cutter Elements; and 721,- 741 filed March17, 1958, for: Cutting Tool, there are disclosed various types ofcutting elements and holders for the cutting elements and mechanisms forsupporting and rotating the holders so that the cutting elements willcarry out a cutting or abrading operation.

The present invention represents a further advance and improvement inthis art over what is shown in the patents and applications referred toabove.

In particular the present invention represents an advance with respectto the mounting of the cutting elements on the holder, in theconstruction of the holder, and in the construction of the frame onwhich the holder is mounted and the drive to the holder.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide a holder ofinexpensive but extremely strong construction and one in connection withwhich the cutting elements are supported so as to carry out a cutting orabrading operation with the highest degree of efficiency.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a novel reversingdrive arrangement for the holder so that the cutting elements can becaused to traverse a surface being operated in either direction wherebygreater emciency of operation is had because a sharp cutting edge canalways be presented to the work.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent uponreference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a more or less diagrammatic perspective view showing acutting or abrading apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse section taken along the cutter holdershaft and is indicated by line 22 on FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical section indicated by line 3-3 onFIGURE 1 and showing the back end of the platform of the mechanism andthe connection there to of the platform tilting screw;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical section indicated by line 4--4 onFIGURE 1 showing a pivotal connection between the wheel supporting frameof the apparatus and the tilta'ble cutter holder supporting platform;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view indicated by line 5-5on FIGURE 2 showing the cutting holder in cross-section;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical section indicated by line 6-6 onFIGURE 2 showing the cutter held in end elevation;

3,645,992 Patented July 24, 1962 FIGURE 7 is a plan view of theapparatus showing the arrangement of the parts thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view through a modified form of cutter holder;and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a cutter holderaccording to FIGURE 8 mounted in the abrading apparatus.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, in FIGURE 1 there isshown the complete apparatus which includes a frame generally indicated.at It to which is attached supporting wheels 12. Carrie-d in the frameis a platform 14 and toward the front of the apparatus frame 14comprises the spaced forwardly extending angles 16 on which angles aresupported bearings 18 and in which bearings there is journalled holder20 that carries a plurality of cutting elements 22 which are distributedaxially of the holder and circumferential.

At one end of the holder the supporting shaft therefor, 24, extendsthrough its pertaining bearing 18 and supports a pulley 26 over whichthe V-belts 28 pass. V-belts 28 extend backwardly and pass around theoutput pulley of a reversible transmission 30 that has at its other endan input pulley 32 driven by V-belts 34 which in turn pass around andare driven by pulleys 36 on the output shaft of an internal combustionmotor 38.

Transmission 30 is characterized in being reversible and this isaccomplished by operation of shift lever 40. Because of thereversibility of transmission 30, the cutter holder can be driven ineither direction and in this manner when the cutting elements becomeslightly dull on one side the transmission can be operated to reversethe direction of rotation of the holder thus bringing the sharp edges ofthe cutting elements into engagement with the work.

The platform 14 is carried on frame 10 on a transverse shaft 42 which isshown in FIGURE 4 so that the platform is tiltable in the frame therebyto adjust the elevation of the holder from the work so that the cuttingelements can be precisely positioned and so that wear of the cuttingelements can be compensated for.

The tilting of the platform is accomplished by a screw 44 shown inFIGURES 1 and 3 which has its lower end journalled in a trunnion 46pivoted between the upstanding ears 48 at the back edge of platform 14and with the upper end of the screw being threaded through the trunnionmounted nut 50 carried between ears .52 that extend forwardly from topbar 53 of a handle structure that includes the side members 56 that aremounted in sockets 58 attached to the side rails of frame member 10.

Hand wheel 54 on the upper end of screw 44 provides means whereby theoperator can readily adjust the platform position.

One work operation for which the device of the present invention isparticularly well adapted is that of abrading paint lines from highwaysurfaces.

In FIGURE 1 the highway surface 57 has a paint line 58 thereon and byadjusting the apparatus properly the paint line can rapidly be abradedfrom the highway without in any Way damaging the highway surface andwithout cutting a groove in the highway surface.

The cutting elements 22 are more fully disclosed and described in mycopending application Serial No. 721,741 referred to above and eachconsists of a length of twisted wire, for example, two Wires twistedtogether, with each wire being, say to 4;". These twisted wires are bentto a U-shape and there is a metal bearing member clamped to the U-shapedtwisted wire cutting element at the closed end thereof thus holding thelegs of the cutting element in supporting relation relative to eachother and providing an accurate bearing for supporting the cuttingelements.

The holder of the present invention comprises spaced end plates 60mounted on shaft 24 and these plates if aoaaaea desired may be welded tothe shaft. The plates are provided with transversely alignedcircumferentially spaced apertures and into these apertures extend thecutter element supporting rods 62. The end plates 60 have mountedthereon the rings 64 which cover the aforementioned apertures and holdthe rods 62 in assembled relation with the end plates and at least oneof the rings 64 is detachably mounted on its pertaining end plate as bycap screws 66 so that the ring can be removed thus permitting the rodsto be slipped out of the end plates endwise and the cutter elementsreplaced when necessary.

The entire holder structure may be reinforced and supported by a sleeve68 extending between end plates 60, this sleeve preferably being weldedto the end plates and being located close to the inner ends of thecutting elements whereby to support the cutting elements againstinwardly movement greater than a predetermined amount should the rods62. or the bearing apertures in the cutting elements become worn. Sleeve68 thus strengthens and reinforces the holder and at the same timeprovides inner stop means preventing inward radial movement of thecutter elements and whereby the accuracy of the abrading or cuttingoperation is maintained.

A feature of the present invention is illustrated in FIG- URE wherein itwill be noted that the cutting elements 22 are closely adjacent oneanother due to the close spacing between the cutter element support rods62. This close spacing of the cutting elements tends to limit theirswinging movement when deflected under load thus reducing the Wear onthe cutting element bearings and providing for the application ofgreater working pressure to the work than is possible when the cutterelements are widely spaced apart and are thus more free to swing througha wide arc.

In addition, the close spacing of the cutting elements as shown inFIGURE 5 provides for more abrasions of the work per revolution of thecutter and this increases the speed of the cutting or abrading action.

Also, the close arrangement of the cutting elements tends to make theload on the holder and drive train and drive motor more uniform so thatthere is less likelihood of the apparatus jamming under load or beingnoisy in operation.

It is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention toform the cutter holder without sleeve 68 but to obtain the advantage ofthe enlarged central memher by making the holder as illustrated inFIGURES 8 and 9. In these views supporting shaft 70 of the holder has anenlarged center part 72 and attached to its opposite ends of enlargedparts 72 as by welding are the annular end plates 74 corresponding toend plates 60 of the first modification.

The annular plates 70 are smaller in diameter than plates 60 and carrythe cutter elements support rods 76 in the same manner as the rods 60are supported in plates 60.

Cutter elements 78 are mounted on the rods and .this provides for acomplete cutting and abrading mechanism. The rods 76 can be spaced closetogether as are the rods 62 in FIGURE 5 but since the holder of FIG-URES 8 and 9 is smaller in diameter than the first describedmodification, the rods are fewer in number. No particular sizelimitations are intended however and the modification of FIGURES 8 and 9could be made to the same sizes as the first described modificationalthough being better adapted for the smaller size on account of thesolid center shafting.

Inasmuch as the apparatus of my invention is adapted for use onhighways, it is proposed to maintain a flashing light 80 supported onthe handle and which flashing light 80 is supplied by a battery 82maintained charged by a generator 84 driven by one of the V-belts. Thisis an important safety feature that adds to the utility of themechanism.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; and,accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In an holder for abrading apparatus of the nature described,a swingably supporting cutting elements and comprising a central shaft,means for reversibly driving said shaft, U-shaped cutting elementshaving apertures formed in their closed ends, a pair of spaced endplates on the shaft, circumferentially spaced transversely alignedapertures in said end plates, rods extending from one end plate to theother and having their ends in said apertures for swingably supportingsaid cutting elements by engaging the said apertures therein, ring meansattached to said end plates on the outside thereof overlapping theapertures therein to prevent the rods from becoming disassembled fromthe holder and at least one ring being detachable, and cylindrical meanscoaxial with said shaft extending from one end plate to the otherradially inwardly of said rods supporting the end plates relative toeach other and providing stop means preventing inward movement of thecutting elements mounted on the rods, said cylindrical means comprisinga rigid sleeve concentric with the shaft and extending between andattached to said end plates, said rods being closely spaced so that thecutter elements on each rod are limited in swinging movement by abutmentwith the cutter elements on adjacent rods to a total swinging movementof less than 2. In an abrading apparatus of the nature described,U-shaped cutting elements having holes in their closed ends, a holderfor swingably supporting said cutting elements and comprising a centralshaft, means for reversibly driving said shaft, a pair of spaced endplates on the shaft, circumferentially spaced transversely alignedapertures in said end plates, rods extending from one end plate to theother and having their ends in said apertures extending through theholes in the cutting elements swingably supporting said cuttingelements, ring means attached to said end plates on the outside thereofoverlapping the apertures to prevent the rods from becoming disassembledfrom the holder and at least one ring being detachable, and cylindricalmeans coaxial with said shaft extending from one end plate to the otherradially inwardly of said rods supporting the end plates relative toeach other and providing stop means preventing inward movement of thecutting elements mounted on the rods, said cylindrical means comprisingan enlarged rigid portion on the shaft extending from one end plate tothe other, said rods being closely spaced so that the cutter elements oneach rod are limited in swinging movement by abutment with the cutterelements on adjacent rods to a total swinging movement of not more than90.

3. In an abrading apparatus of the nature described, U-shaped cuttingelements having holes in their closed ends, a holder for swingablysupporting said cutting elements and comprising a central shaft, meansfor reversibly driving said shaft, a pair of spaced end plates on theshaft, circumferentially spaced transversely aligned apertures in saidend plates, rods extending from one end plate to the other and havingtheir ends in said apertures extending through the holes in the cuttingelements and swingably supporting said cutting elements, ring meansattached to said end plates on the outside thereof overlapping theapertures to prevent the rods from becoming disassembled from the holderand at least one ring being detachable, and rigid cylindrical meanscoaxial with said shaft extending from one end plate to the otherradially inwardly of said rods supporting the end plates relative toeach other and providing stop means preventing inward movement of thecutting elements mounted on the rods, and the spacing between said rodsbeing such that each row of cutting elements forms stop means limitingthe deflecting movement of the adjacent row of cutting elements to atotal swinging angle of about 20.

(References on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Brunelle Sept. 18,1883 Warner Dec. 27, 1910 Radlein Aug. 18, 19 14 5 Devoorde Sept. 14,915 Peterson Apr. 28, 1925 Price Jan. 18, 1927 6 Mudge Dec. 4, 1928Emrnons May 5, 1931 Wittick Sept. 6, 1932 Gerharot Aug. 14, 1934 Lukschet a1 Dec. 29, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS France Apr. 20, 1914 Germany Nov.13, 1931

